What a development agreement can — and cannot — do: city attorney explains at New Bern hearing

At the Sept. 17 Planning and Zoning Board meeting, City attorney Jamie Bulock explained the role of development agreements after repeated public requests for binding buffers and infrastructure guarantees.

“A development agreement generally is in place when you have a large‑scale development that is going to require significant infrastructure,” Bulock said, describing the agreement as a recorded contract that can establish permitted uses, buffering, maintenance responsibilities and service commitments. She noted that development agreements are subject to public hearing and can be drafted to run with the land so future owners must comply.

Bulock and staff also explained limitations: the planning board’s rezoning recommendation focuses on consistency with the land‑use plan and reasonableness; technical mitigation (stormwater engineering, culvert capacity, detailed site layouts) is examined later in permitting and plan‑review stages. She advised residents that their most direct leverage is to participate in the Board of Aldermen public hearing and to review the draft development agreement when it is published.